Church Action eNewsletter Week of February 12, 2018

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter
Week of February 12, 2018
God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

Second Food Pantry Forum
Tuesday, February 20,
United Way, 40 Courtland Avenue, Atlanta 30303.
We will explore student food security, board development, and the possibility of planting a garden.
Plenty of time for discussion and networking, refreshments, and door prizes.
Let us know you are coming if you have not already at [e-mail].

1. Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church is part of a brand new movement cropping up all --a grassroots solution to address immediate local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, the Little Free Pantry facilitates neighbors helping neighbors. The Pleasant Hill Pres pantry is being stocked on a continuing basis. Signs invite people in the community, particularly those who cope daily with food insecurity, to "Take What You Need, Give What You Can."

2. The Lake Oconee Community Church hosts a support group for dementia caregivers on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. February 13 and Feb. 27, March 12, March 26. More information here. here.

3. The Society of Saint John the Evangelist and Virginia Theological Seminary offer Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John is a six-week Lenten journey of reflection and prayer that includes optional daily videos delivered to your inbox, a Prayer Journal, facilitation guidance for small groups, as well as an online offering for community gathering. Daily videos from the Brothers, sign up here. Daily Prayer Journal – You may preview the beautiful 60-page journal here, buy copies at cost on Amazon, or download a printable version for free.

4. The African-American experience is at the core of American history. See "AIB Presents: Our Shared Story - African-American History IS American History " From the blood, sweat, and tears of slaves on whose backs the American economy was built, to the contributions of African-Americans in every field, the African-American experience tells the story of the U.S. On the AIB Network. Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.; re-airs Thursdays at 11:30 a.m., Saturdays at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.

5. The regular monthly meeting of the End New Jim Crow Action Group is Wednesday, February 14, at 7:00 p.m. at the Atlanta Friends Meetinghouse. Call [phone] if you want a ride from East Lake MARTA. Hear concerns of formerly incarcerated and families of incarcerated people, update on End Money Bail DeKalb, and support those who work to end mass incarceration. All formerly incarcerated people and family members of incarcerated people are welcome to bring their concerns. 701 West Howard Ave, Decatur 30030 (about 1/2 mile east of East Lake MARTA station).

6. Faith A.M.E. Zion sends a special invitation to its neighbors to join them as they journey through the season of Lent this year. Beginning with Ash Wednesday service at noon on Feb. 14 and on to Easter. For more information, visit Faith A.M.E. Zion Church here or contact the church office at [phone].

7. NAMI Monthly Educational Speaker Lisa Poore, Tuesday, February 20 , United Way of Forsyth County Community Room, 240 Elm Street, Cumming, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Poore is a psychologist at Paraclete Counseling Center in Johns Creek. Her topic will be Caregiving: How to stay healthy when you are caring for someone with a mental health illness or other illness.

8. Upcoming webinar: Creating a Culture of Compassion and Action in Response to the Opioid Crisis, Feb. 21, Noon to 1 p.m. Register here. Faith and community leaders can offer the gifts of acceptance, empathy, and long-term support to those struggling with addiction or in recovery. A pastor once noted, “Faith communities are not neutral bystanders: What they don’t say is just as important as what they do say.” Join the HHS, Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church, and Marla Kaufman, founder of the Jewish Addiction Awareness Network, to learn ways to offer a compassionate invitation that clearly affirms that the work of recovery belongs in your community.

9. The North Fulton Mental Health Collaborative is open to all healthcare stakeholders in that community including faith communities, schools, civic organizations, healthcare providers and consumers, etc. The group will meet Thursday, February 22, 9:00- 11:00 a.m., Mount Pisgah UMC, North Campus, sanctuary building, third floor, Room S305, 2850 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. For more information, contact Cathy Murphy at [e-mail].

10. Atlantic Institute invites you to an Ebru (paper marbling) showcase by Ms. Fatmanur Akdeniz on Saturday, February 24, at 11:00 a.m. at Istanbul Cultural Center. Please click the link here to make your RSVP (required) and get more details about this amazing showcase.

11. Find out about the Compassion Experience at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church Feb. 24-28, Roswell UMC March 1-4, and Revolution Church Canton March 16-19 here.

12. “All God’s Creation Is Very Good” is the theme of the 2018 World Day of Prayer. Church Women United invites you to join them to observe this day. Church Women United Atlanta was formed in 1941 and was the first organization of this kind to welcome people of every race. This year they will hold two celebrations; Evening - Thursday, March 1, 7, Greater Turner Chapel AME Church, 4650 Cascade Rd, Atlanta 30331; Morning- Friday, March 2, 10, Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree St, Atlanta 30309, come early to visit.

13. Kaitlin Curtice at First Baptist Decatur — Join the singer-songwriter and author of Glory Happening in conversation with New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson Thursday, March 1, at 7:00 p.m., 308 Clairemont Avenue, Decatur 30030. Glory Happening is a book of stories and prayers that remind you to take a closer look at your everyday circumstances, to find the magical beauty in everyday experiences. Sponsored by Conversations at First Baptist in partnership with Georgia Center for the Book. No tickets or reservations are required. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

14. March 1. Empathy in Art giving voice to the struggles of the Cuban people through Art at First Presbyterian Church, Thursday, March 1, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Fifield Hall. An in-depth view and discussion of the works of Juan Manuel Vazquez Iglesias, as seen from the perspective of the artist’s nephew, Guillermo Santana, and of fellow Cuban artist Alexi Torres. This event will feature a Cuban Dinner, live Latin-American music, and a short presentation by the two speakers, Cuban-American artist Alexi Torres and Guillermo Santana, co-founder of the Vazquez Cuba Exhibit in Atlanta. Register now here.

15. March 2ff. American Pronunciation Class: Communicating with Confidence — The Atlantic Institute, in collaboration with Ruth Schowalter and Canan A., presents English pronunciation class. Starting on March 2, 10 a.m., this is a five-week, 10-hour program designed especially for international female students. Click here.for R.s.v.p. and more information.

16. March 6. Georgia WAND's 16th Annual REAL State of the Union will bridge the national / state divide & rural / urban divide by focusing on similarities and common policy concerns. The event features Karen Brown-Collier, Principal of Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School, and Chandra Farley, Director of Just Energy. Tuesday, March 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Program starts at 6. Donations are accepted; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Everyone is welcome. Wheelchair accessible. Location will be announced soon. R.s.v.p. to [e-mail].

17. March 16. You can get tickets in advance for the Friday, March 16, 7:30 p.m., screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect at Regal Cinemas Town Center 16 & RPX, 2795 Town Center Drive, Kennesaw 30144. A short discussion will follow the movie. Contact the suicide survivors’ network at [e-mail] if you have questions. In this documentary Kevin Hobbs explores the impact of his suicide attempt on his family, friends, and first responders who helped to save him. He is expected to be at this screening. Get your tickets in advance here.

18. March 20-April 3. Choices for Kids free 3-week cooking class series for children 8 years old and up and an accompanying adult. Learn to create healthy, delicious recipes on a budget with Chef Ashley Keyes and learn all about the We Can! Toolkit (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) designed by the National Institutes of Health. Tuesday, March 20 - Tuesday, April 3. Oak Hill Child, Adolescent & Family Center, 2805 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta 30315 map. Class size is limited to 25. Limit of one parent and child from a family. Advance registration is required here. MARCH 20 - APRIL 3. Contact [e-mail] if you have questions.

19. March 22. “Tensions in Sustainability Workshop: Religion and the Environment," Thursday, March 22, 7 - 8:30 p.m., Room 102, Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Join FAMA and the Emory Center for Ethics, to learn how to address with compassion and care the tensions that arise between environmental concerns and social and economic concerns in your communities. R.s.v.p. information will be forthcoming.

20. April 5. Lecture by bell hooks: “Ending Dominator Culture: Resisting Patriarchy,” April 5, 5:30 p.m., Candler, Cannon Chapel Sanctuary, free; registration required. Author, feminist theorist, and social critic bell hooks is Distinguished Professor in Residence and founder of the bell hooks Institute at Berea College in Kentucky. A reception will follow. Cannon Chapel, Emory University, 515 South Kilgo Circle, Atlanta 30322.

21. April 11, 18. The McDonald Lectures with David F. Ford, April 11: “Jesus in the 21st Century,” April 18: “Reconciliation in the 21st Century,” 11:00 a.m.—12:45 p.m., Candler School of Theology, Room 252, free; lunch included; registration required. Ford, 2018 distinguished visiting professor, is Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at the University of Cambridge. Register for the April 11 lecture by April 3 to receive a lunch. Register  for the April 18 lecture by April 10 to receive lunch. Emory University, 1531 Dickey Dr, Atlanta 30322.

22. June 1. An early announcement for something that requires some planning: The Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary is accepting applications for The Rural Church Clergy Colloquy, August 6-8 and February 11-13, 2019. Applications are due on June 1 and may be submitted via this link. Leadership will be provided by Jonathan Davis and Camille Josey.